Hunter&#39;s cap



June 25, 1957 M. TOBERMAN HUNTER'S CAP Filed April 12, 1955 NVVf/VTOR EARL M. TOBERMAN 8) MM,SM, M

HFORA/EYS United States Patent HUNTERS CAP Earl M. Toberman, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application April 12, 1955, Serial No. 500,785

2 Claims. (Cl. 2-172) This invention relates to caps. More particularly, it relates to hunters caps and/ or caps for children to enable them to hear more adequately, during cold weather.

Many conventional caps are constructed so as to provide coverings for the ears of the wearer during cold weather. Such coverings, however, almost invariably cover the opening of the wearers car so as to make it impossible for him to hear sounds which he normally would hear adequately. For example, it is impossible for most hunters wearing the conventional hunters cap to hear the approach of a deer or other animal being hunted. Similarly, it is impossible for children wearing the conventional type of head covering to hear vehicles which are overtaking them from the rear or to hear the warning signals of such vehicles. If the wearer is to hear such signals, it is necessary for him to maintain the ear covering portions in loose fitting relation and in such relation the wearers ears oftentimes become extremely cold because the body heat is permitted to escape. My invention is designed toward eliminating these disadvantages.

It is a general object of my invention to provide a novel and improved cap having inherent means to enable the wearer to hear adequately without suffering unduly from the cold.

A more specific object is to provide a novel and improved cap having ear covering flaps with built-in facilities to enable the wearer to hear substantially equally as well while wearing the cap as he could without the cap.

Another object is to provide a novel head covering which will permit the wearer to hear well without exposing portions of his ears to undue cold.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of my invention being worn;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same cap inverted and showing the inside of the cap; and

Fig. 3 is a-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

One embodiment of my invention, as shown in Figs. 1-3, may include a head covering comprised of an inverted generally bowl-shaped body indicated generally as 5 having a lower annular edge 6. This body may be fleece lined or preferably made of some quilted material to keep the crown of the head of the wearer Warm. Secured to the annular edge portions 6 and extending downwardly therefrom is an annular flap 7. This flap 7 has a fabricated outer surface 8 and a fur lining 9 extending inwardly from the fabric 8 a substantial distance, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The flap 7 has an elastic portion 10 at the front of the head covering adjacent the visor 11. This portion 10 is woven in such a manner 2,796,613 Patented June 25, 1957 as to provide the elastic feature. The manner of weaving such a fabric is well known in the art.

Built into the flap 7 at opposite positions at the sid of the head covering 5 is a pair of opposed small perforated metal plates generally designated 12. Each of the plates 12 has a central part 12 provided with a plurality of openings 13 therein, an outer annular marginal portion 12 bordering the central part 12 and offset outwardly therefrom, and an annular flange 12 extending inwardly at substantially a right angle from the inner face of the marginal portion of the central perforated part 12 the plates each being secured to the flap 7 by a washer 14 and a snap or press-fit ring 15 as best shown in Fig. 3, with the outer annular marginal portion 12 fitting against the outer face of the outermost layer 8 of the flap 7, the central perforated part 12*- fitting into the opening in the plane of and forming a substantial continuation of the outer layer 8, and with the inwardly directed flange 12 on the marginal portion of the central perforated part 12 extending into the opening to the inner side of said central perforated part 7. It will be noted that the plate 12 extends as a substantial continuation of the fabric 8 and that the fur liner 9 extends inwardly a substantial distancebeyond the plate 12 and the retaining ring 15. In view of this relation the plate 12 and the retaining ring 15 at no time come in contact with the ear itself, but are maintained in spaced relation to thefiash forming the ear of the wearer. It will be noted that the plates 12 are of quite small diameter inch) and that they are positioned so as to be directly opposite the opening of the ear so as to provide maximum facilitation of hearing.

It will also be noted that the elastic portion 10 of the flap 7 at all times maintains the flap in tight fitting relation to the head and the back of the neck and the forehead of the wearer so that the body heat from the head of the wearer, will be prevented from escaping. It will be readily appreciaited, of course, that when the temperature is sufficiently high so as to make it undesirable to Wear the flap 7 in outwardly extending position, it is possible to fold the flap inwardly to the inside of the cap to permit the cap to be worn in the usual manner. In this connection the small diameter of the plate 12 is important for the small diameter permits the cap to be worn in this manner without an undue bulge to make the cap have an undesirable appearance and to cause discomfort to the wearer.

In use the cap is worn as shown in Fig. l. The hunter or child wearing the cap will readily detect sounds which would not otherwise be heard by the wearer for they pass through the perforations 13 of the plate 12 directly into the opening of the wearers ear. While being so worn the fur lining 9 maintains the ring 15 and the plate 12 in spaced relation to the ear so as to prevent the metal from coming in contact with the opening defining portions of the wearers ear.

Thus it can be seen that a hunter while wearing my cap will be readily apprised of the approach of an animal through the woods. Similarly, a child walking along a highway and wearing one of my caps will be forewarned of the approach of a vehicle from the rear and will be able to hear the warning signal of such a vehicle, in addition to having his ears protected and covered from the cold.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and pro portions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A cap comprising an inverted generally bowl-shaped body having an annular lower edge, an annular flap secured to said edge along the entire length thereof and 3 extending downwardly therefrom, the flap being adapted to cover the ears, forehead and the back of the neck of the wearer, said flap being provided with a pair of small: openings therein located inwardly of the marginaledge portions thereof in the ear covering portions. of the-flap: to be disposeddirectly inline with the ears of the wearer. of the cap to facilitate the hearing of sounds by the wearer, and a plate associated with each'of said openings of the flap, each plate being of a thickness less than the thickness of said flap, and each plate having a central-pen forated part, an outer annular marginal portion offset to the outer side of said central perforated part, an annular flange extending inwardly at substantially a right angle from-the inner face of the marginal portion of said central perforated part of the plate, each of said plates having the inner face of its offset annular marginal portion fi ting against the outer face portion of the flap bordering oneof; the openings therein, with the central perforated part of the plate fitting into-the opening in the plane of the adjoining wall portion of the flap and spaced a substantial distance from the innerface of the flap, and with the inwardly directed flange on the outer marginal portion of said perforated central part of the plate extending into the opening to the inner side of said perforated central part of the plate, and means securing each of said plates to the flap including a washer fitting against the inner face portion of the flap bordering the opening in the flap, and a snap ring fitting against the washer and having an outwardly directed annular flange portion fitting on the inwardly directed annular marginal fiange on the central perforated part of the plate, said plates being disposed so that the central perforated parts thereof directly overlie the openings in said flap and the ears of the wearer of the cap but being spaced outwardly a substantial distance from the inner face of the flap and the ears of the wearer out of contact with the latter.

2. A cap comprising an inverted generally bowlshaped body having an annular lower edge, an annular flap secured to said edge along the entire length thereof and extending downwardly therefrom, the flap being adapted to cover the ears, forehead and the back of the neck of the wearer, and said flap being formed of two layers of material and being provided with a pair of small openings thereinlocatedinwardly of the marginal edge portions thereof in the ear covering portions of the flap to facilitate the hearing of sounds by the wearer, and a plate associated with each of said openings of the flap, each plate being of a thickness less than the thickness of said flap, and each plate having a central perforated part,

an outer annular marginal portion bordering said central perforated part and offset to the outer side of the same, and an annular flange extending inwardly at substantially a right angle from the inner face of the marginal portion of said central perforated part of the plate, each of said plates having the inner face of its offset annular marginal portion fitting against the outer face of the outermost layer of material of the flap bordering one of the openings therein, with the central perforated part of the plate fitting into the opening in the plane of and forming a substantial continuation of the outer layer of material, and with the inwardly directed flange on the marginal portion of said perforated part of the plate extending into: the opening to the inner side of. said perforated, part ;of the plate, and means securing each of'said plates to the fiap' including a Washer fitting against the inner; face of the inner. layer of material bordering the openingin. the flap, and a snap ring fitting against the washer and. having anoutwardly directed annular flangev portion fitting on the inwardly directed annular marginal flange onthe central. perforated part of the plate, said plates. being disposed so that the. central perforated parts thereof directly overlie. the openings in saidflap and the ears of the wearer. of thecap but being spaced outwardly a substantial distancefrom the inner face of the inner layer of material, of the flap and the earsof the wearer out of contact with thezlatter.

ReferencesCited in. the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

